Keeping Your Pet Snake in a Glass Terrarium

A glass terrarium is similar to the fish aquariums you’re familiar with, except that a terrarium is not waterproof. “Terra” comes from the Latin for “earth,” which makes sense because terrariums are designed for land-dwelling animals such as snakes and other reptiles.

The question is — should you keep your snake in one of these glass cages? What are the pros and cons of using terrariums for a pet snake? That’s what we’re going to discuss in this article.

I myself prefer plastic reptile cages, such as those made by Vision. Here’s why I prefer them to terrariums:

Plastic Cages vs. Glass Terrariums

Glass terrariums can be a suitable environment for reptiles in general. They come in a variety of sizes, and they can be easily lit and heated from above. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind when using glass terrariums for a snake habitat.

For one thing, consider the fact that these terrariums have clear glass on all sides, which reduces the amount of privacy the animal has. In my experience, pet snakes spend more time hiding when they are kept in all-glass cages. They simply feel more exposed, and with good reason. The more time your snake spends hiding under its rock or log, the less time you will have to enjoy seeing it “cruising” around the cage.

The all-glass “fish bowl” effect can also affect the appetites of some pet snakes, especially ball pythons. Snakes that do not feel secure in their environments will often refuse to eat.

Here’s a story from my own experience. I once transferred a ball python from a plastic drawer-style cage (that was completely enclosed) to an all-glass terrarium. The snake stopped eating completely, and it hardly came out from its hide. After two months of refused meals, I put him back in the drawer-style cage, and he resumed eating right away. What can we take away from this? The cage is part of the snake’s environment, and the environment can influence the snake’s behavior. File that one away for future reference. You may need to do some trial and error like this some day.

Compare the glass terrarium to a Vision cage or something similar, which is only clear in the front of the cage. It makes sense that a snake would feel more secure in a cage that is only see-through on one side (the front). But you should also keep in mind that all snakes are different. Some will do just fine in a glass terrarium, while others may “prefer” more private surroundings. If your snake eats well and is otherwise healthy, you have nothing to worry about. But if your snake refuses meals, you must be willing to experiment with the environment.

Here’s a picture of one of the Vision cages I have in my snake room. This particular cage is housing a San Diego gopher snake that’s nearly seven feet long. It’s made of durable plastic on all sides but the front. The front is made of thick glass panels that slide open for easy access. These cages come in a wide variety of sizes, all the way up to the six-foot-long models. Note the receptacle in the left side of the top, which is holding a heat lamp.

Here’s the bottom line. In my experience, snakes will generally feel more secure in a cage with some solid, non-transparent sides to it. As a result, the animal will be out and about more often, which means more enjoyable viewing for the owner. It will also eat more regularly, because it feels secure in its environment. In a nutshell … the more privacy you can give your snake, the better!

Giving Your Snake More Privacy in a Terrarium

Of course, there is a compromise here. If you want to use a glass terrarium, while making your snake feel more secure at the same time, you could put a background on one or more sides of the terrarium. This would be the scenic landscape film (with deserts, jungles and the like) that you’ve probably seen on the back of glass terrariums in pet stores or in reptile magazines. The snake won’t care much about the beauty of the landscape scenery, but it will appreciate the added privacy of having some of those sides covered.

This kind of scenery background is available in nearly every pet store. By taping a background onto the outside of three sides of the cage (leaving the front open), you could make the cage more visually appealing for you and more private / secure for your reptile friend. Something to think about.

My advice is to purchase a high-quality plastic cage, if you can afford it. If you cannot afford a Vision cage (or something comparable), I recommend a glass terrarium with the back and at least one other side taped off with a scenery background.

Some snake keepers argue that this defeats the purpose of keeping a reptile as a pet. “I want to be able to see my snake at all times,” the argument goes. “That’s why I bought it in the first place.” You need to realize that what’s good for you (constant visibility) is not always good for the snake. If you ever have to decide between what you want and what your snake needs, the needs of your pet should come first.

8 thoughts on “Keeping Your Pet Snake in a Glass Terrarium”

I totally agree.
The snake always comes first.
I have a Honduran Milk and she doesn’t like being in the eye at all. She hides quite a bit and are seldom seen exploring the cage.
My cage is only open in the front with sliding glass panels and two small windows, one on each side.
I use the Mandarin – Large Exoterra plastic plants on the base around the sides for decoration as well as added hiding space. She loves hiding in it, instead of using the hiding caves.
I also covered the floor with about 3 centimeters of Forest bark. She loves digging underneath it.
So most of the time my snake is unseen, but at least I know she is happy.

If I’m using an aquarium for the housing of my BRB, should I use a top that is solid to help with the humidity level? Currently I have only added the top found at the Pet Store with the grates, so it lets out alot of heat. Based on the GREAT information I’m finding on your website, I don’t think this is the best option for my snake.

My Python has been great from day 1 in a terrarium that said I loaded the thing up with 5 huts, a climbing tree, a hammock, lots of foliage, the top covered in tin foil and back with a picture. He chills out in the open A LOT, a lot more than I thought he would. He loves his hammock and climbing tree and can often be found just chillin’ looking pretty. He eats every week without fail even through the winter and his sheds are perfect. His room is less trafficked as well as it’s my office and he loves to watch the cats. If the cats come in the room a few days before a feed he starts hunting it’s funny and then the cats stare at him but quickly lose interest as he moves too slow for them to care. So terrarium is viable but I would imagine not for all snakes, mine is a prince so good I got lucky, and you gotta make sure it’s packed with foliage, huts and something to climb on. The biggest must in my opinion is a good thermostat, we invested in a herpstat redline 2 recently it was a very good purchase indeed.